The fate of certain organic acids and amides in the rabbit. 6. Nitrobenzoic acids and amides

Abstract

A study was made of the metabolism of o-, m- and p-nitrobenzoic acids and amides in the rabbit. The acids are excreted mainly unchanged, but a proportion (11-21%) is reduced to the corresponding aminobenzoic acids. Acetylation then occurs in the m- and p-isomers. The amides are hydrolyzed to the corresponding acids; in the case of p-nitrobenzamide the hydrolysis is virtually complete, m-nitro-benzamide is hydrolyzed to an extent of at least 58% and o-nitro-benzamide at least 21%. Reduction (15-25%) and acetylation occur as with the acids. o-Nitrobenzamide is the only compound of the 6 to increase excretion of ethereal sulfate, 48% of the dose being eliminated in this form. The principal hydroxylation product is 5-hydroxyanthranilic acid or amide. Glycine conjugation of nitrobenzoic acids could not be detected in the rabbit. The reduction of nitrobenzoic acids and amides by rabbit liver extracts was studied.